Lovely Day for Stalking, Yes?
by NessieWinsa
Summary: AU. Thalia is smashed between problems when another one pops up called 'being stalked'. She decides to take her friend Annabeth's advice to get a boyfriend. She's a Hunter, her parents don't care, and her project with Nico can't make her life any worse...
1. PROLOGUE

_**Disclaiming all information... other than the plot.**_

_Heads up to everyone reading, but, rated T for a reason. Sexual content, language, etc., etc., etc. You know the drill, so—shoot! Just enjoy yourself._

* * *

PROLOGUE.

* * *

**I**'ve been stalked before, I admit it.

I mean, I'm rather pretty, according to some people, and I'm pretty smart for a messed up kid living a messed up life. I usually like being alone, working on my own, and just having time to think in silence. I'm not lonely, I'm not depressed, and I'm definitely _not_ disconnected from society. In fact, I loved life. I loved my crappy, crapped up life. Yeah, that's right, I'm not regretful at all.

So, when this dude starts to follow me home, I get the odd suspicion that my life is about to get a whole lot more interesting.

What was his name? Something along the lines of liar? Lion? Wait, I remember now, Leo. Leo Valdez.

He's one of those nerd-ish kids that go to the same school as me, and live right around the block. He's pretty smart, especially in mechanics and carpentry, and he never burns himself in the smiths (don't ask why our school has a black smith, even _I _don't know). But let's get this straight. Me. No. Likey. Valdez.

Valdez. Is. Creeper.

Creeper. Provokes. Thalia.

Thalia. Breaks. Creeper's. Nose.

See? I even wrote a math equation in my free time (meaning math class). Angry Thalia plus Creeper Valdez equals dead, run-over, road-kill lion corpse. I mean Leo's corpse.

Because I'm the type of girl who doesn't like being followed around, and certainly doesn't like the attention (like a particular cheerleading squad led by Selena), I told him off. Unlike most of the times I was being stalked, which consisted of me threatening them that I would bring out my dad's Harley and run them over with it, he didn't flinch a millimeter.

It's not like I really want to murder the guy, but he had been tailing me for a week before I decided to tell someone about it.

Being the type of girl who doesn't like attention from boys, it also makes me not very popular among my own kin; girls. My definition of HB High girls? Juvenile delinquents who wear make-up and nail polish, high heels, and skimpy clothes. The world could be a whole lot better off without them, and I wouldn't miss them a bit. Especially their rumors and personalities. I mean, they switched, matched and blinged every part of their bodies, so they just _had_ to do the same for their insides too. Imagine being in a sea of gold, silver and sparkles. Now imagine them as people, times one thousand of how awkward you'd feel, and you would get a somewhat reaction of irritation inside of me. It was all so fake, just like their dyed hair, full-red lips, and perfect, zit-free skin.

I'm not too far off from them, not that I would admit it. Selena once told me I could be way prettier than I let on, and for a moment, like a millisecond, I was tempted. Then she said she had an outfit that matched my electric-blue eyes, and that turned me off.

Though most of the girls were either like Selena, or just drab, boring girls, there were a few nice ones.

Once, during eighth grade, we had this traditional camping trip where they took the entire grade for a five-day survival training course. I forgot my badminton racket (an essential for _my _personal survival) and ran back to the bus to get it. I was paired up with this blonde girl who insisted we stay together, so we both ran back to retrieve my racket. By the time we made our way down the hiking path, our grade was gone. She figured we must have taken the wrong turn, so we went back, only to get more and more lost than the first time.

If it hadn't been for our supplies, my out-door experience, and her map skills, we would have been dead as squirrels cooked on bon-fires. We were found two days later, and the traditional camping trip course had been bumped up to higher grades with more responsibility to take it.

Annabeth Chase, the blonde's name I learned later on, proved to be a good friend, and we shared a lot in common. She was a smart kid, but like all the kids in HB High, had an ugly life.

All the kids at HB High were kids whose parents were having troubles. From divorce problems, to money problems, to drug addict problems, if your life was horrible enough, you ended up at HB High.

My problem? No, I'm just a normal high school kid trying to live life normally. Unless you call a mother who drinks and physically abuses you, and a dad who never comes home from work and avoids any contact with you as if someone will notice the two are related, my life is pretty ordinary.

Annabeth's mother left a while ago because—she quotes—"It is logical to move on when a relationship fails." I could see why Annabeth was bitter with her mother. The way she said it, it made her mother sound like a robot and her dad's marriage with her mother like a laboratory experiment between two lab rats.

The only family that I had left that wasn't exactly anything to jump for joy, but not a total disappointment, was my cousin. His name, Percy Jackson, was pretty much all over the school. He was one of the dumbest, but hottest guys around, or so I'm told. He was pretty modest about it, never showing off, or trying to make girls swoon. Percy was Percy, just himself, and I think that's what made me admire him. He didn't have to be all fake like Selena and her troop of preppy girls. He was himself, just a nice, sincere guy trying to be friendly with everyone.

Of course, the girls still went all over him, batting their eyelashes and shrilling his name in their high-pitched girly voices. It made me want to run for the restrooms and vomit.

Our dads were brothers, and ran a famous travel agency that was passed down the family for a few ages. My dad ran the airlines agency while Percy's ran the sea lines and cruise ships. Percy and I were quite alike, though we fought vicious battles, there was one thing we both agreed on; our fathers were bastards. Both of them.

His father, Uncle Polson, spent a lot more time at sea than with his son. Percy's mom, Aunt Sally, had to rely on her boss, Gabe Ugly or something or other (I don't give a shit about his name). He was one of those stereo-type couch potatoes that sat watching the basketball game and munching _Cheetos_ on his fat, lazy ass all night. He was the cruelest supervisor anyone could imagine. He had a moldy black beard, like he never shaved and let food get caught in it, not even slightly bothered by the awful smell of rotten breakfast living in his jungle of hair. He wore glasses much too small for his wide, pudgy face, and a belly that could make even Santa jealous—and that was saying something. He had stubby legs like he didn't use them a lot, and thick body hair all over his arms and neck.

Percy's mom had to put up with his sexual harassment, smile and laugh at his jokes, and flatter him just so she wouldn't get fired.

I remember once, when we were both about nine, Mr. Ugly walked into the apartment with Percy's mom, touching her hair and laughing while belching. Because we weren't raised to know this was a routine or anything, Percy's first thought was to rush over there and kick the dude in the nuts. I had to hold him back so he wouldn't pound his body into a bowl of mashed potatoes.

My mom brought back men home every so often. After a while, I grew angry that my mom would be going behind my dad's back and doing stuff she should have been doing with him, not random strangers. I was aware of the strange thumping noises and moaning, shrieking, and slamming against wall sounds. At first, I thought they were playing tag or something equally stupid, but as I got older and decided to expand my knowledge about the adult world, I became less naive. I learned a lot of useful tips, such as the sounds that I heard from my mother's bedroom were _not_ games of hide and seek.

After that, when my mother thought I hadn't arrived from school yet, she led another stranger into the house, and I had a sudden inspiration to embarrass her. About half way through the loud sounds, I had pulled a broom from the closet, stood up on a chair just above her room, and banged the butt of the broom against the ceiling really hard. There was total silence and I yelled up, "Keep it down, Mom! I'm trying to do my homework! I'm having a little trouble, do you know anything about Sex Ed.?"

I had to say, my plan worked like a charm, because the random dude was out the door so fast, I didn't even have enough time to blink. My mom slapped me and called me repulsive names, but, like I said, it was totally worth it.

I told Percy about what I had done when my mother brought home strangers, and we decided to give it a try.

"Hey, mom!"

"Hello, Aunt Sally."

Percy's mom stared at us, her smiling delicate face, but her eyes were wild with fear. One message written across them; _Help._

"Whose are they?" Boss Fat Ass grunted. The way he said, it, it sounded like he was saying _what are they and where did they come from?_

"Oh," Aunt Sally said. "This is my son, Percy, and my niece, Thalia."

We beamed ridiculously wide smiles that should have freaked out any sane human; I guess Gabe wasn't one of them. He snarled and shoved us aside. He walked right through the apartment with his dirty, smelly shoes, not bothering to take them off or the decency to wipe the mud. They squeaked under the just-cleaned floor and he thrust open the refrigerator. He pulled out a Mango Madness and popped the lid.

"Hey!" Potato Face looked down at Percy, his hands on his hips. "That drink is mine!"

Boss Fat Ass smirked. "Yeah, kid? What about it?"

"You can't have it, it's my favorite." Percy loved anything blue, and strange as it was, this Mango Madness was blue. One rule you had to live by if you knew Percy; mess with his mom or any of his blue stuff, and you're good as slaughter.

"Just watch me, punk." Potato Face poured the drink down his chubby throat until not a drop was left. He wiped his mouth against a hairy arm and patted his obese tumor; his stomach. "See kid? Can't do anything 'bout it now, huh? Not so tough are you?"

Percy watched the idiot as he laughed his face off, Percy's jaw trembling. At first, I was almost convinced he would start to cry, but I caught his hands curling into fists, and only one thing occurred in my head at that precise moment; Uh oh.

Percy lunged at the six foot drink-gobbling monster and punched his face repeatedly.

"Percy," I yelled. "Stop, Percy!"

"Give me back my drink," Percy insisted. "Throw it up!"

"Get off'a me, runt!" Monster roared.

"No, die!" Percy persisted. "Die, or give it back! Die, die, die!"

He punched over and over, I dragged him out, but not until the bastard's face was covered with bruises. Mr. Ugly gasped and sputtered his stout lips, trying to regenerate his lungs and breathe properly.

As much as I felt like laughing at his defeat, I knew this was going to end up even worse than we planned.

In the end, Percy's mom had to promise she would work double shift for a week, pay for Boss Ugly Face's hospital fees, and go out to dinner with him on Friday. It wasn't that bad, after all, Aunt Sally could have been fired, or worse, raped, but from her relieved eyes, we knew she was still in trouble.

If our fathers had been with us, none of these things would ever have happened. We liked to blame our dads for everything. From our moms' problems to school grades, we made up lies during our free time just so we wouldn't feel so ashamed of ourselves. Our dads didn't exactly play favorites, they just liked to do things their own way. My brother, Jason Grace, was taken from us when he was about four to learn about the airlines my dad owned and hoped he would take over some day. Because I was a girl, my dad explained, I wasn't allowed to take over the tradition. I nodded, but really thought all of his excuses were just bull-shit.

Uncle P. took Percy's half-brother, Tyson, because he knew more about the sea and had better experience. Tyson was a really kind guy, like the little brother you always wanted, and he would do anything for his family. He was really buff and tall for a kid younger than us by two years.

Other than Percy and Annabeth, I didn't really trust anyone.

So, back to my problem with Lion Baldy, er, Leo Valdez. I figured, _hey Annabeth's smart. She'll help me figure this one out!_

I walked into the math room, which her time was mostly spent drawing structures and such, and slid into the seat next to her. She told me about a million times how badly she wanted to be an architect when she grew up. I wished her luck, because if anyone found out she was from HB High, her opportunity would fly out the window.

"Hi, Annie."

"Hey, Liah." She mumbled, not looking up.

"How are you?"

She stopped. "Okay—who, or what did you kill?"

I stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"You only ask me how I am when you're in a crisis. So, who or what did you kill? I swear, if you killed a kid this time, I won't help you dig a grave—"

I laughed. "Chill, Annabeth. I mean, gods! You jump on me like I… yeeeah, I have a problem."

I asked her if she had ever been stalked before.

"Sure have," she said.

"What did you do about it?"

"Screamed, slapped, threatened, you know. The usual."

"Uh huh. Say, for an example, one guy follows you around and won't leave you alone. You yell at them and punch them, but they won't back off. Not that it's happening to me, no, not at all. I would do so much better than let a dude—"

"Thalia, what's his name?"

"What? I don't know what you're talking about."

"You do. You're being stalked by a guy who won't leave you alone and you're asking for my advice."

"What? No, my dear friend, you've got it all wrong. Psh. No! I'm not being stalked…" It was hard trying to lie to one of my best friends, so in the end, I spilled everything out.

"Well," Annabeth twirled a blonde curl around her fingers. "I think I have a solution… no, it's too dangerous."

"What?"

"I'm not sure you'll be able to do it, Thals. I know you won't survive…"

"What is it?" I demanded.

"Okay," Annabeth smiled. "Get a boyfriend."

I blinked. "W-wait. What?"

"You heard me. Or at least pretend. After the guy notices you hanging around another guy, he'll stop stalking you and give up hope."

Utter silence was slammed into my mouth. Date? Guys? Me? Those three words just didn't fit together right, let alone in a whole, complete sentence.

I started to laugh. "Oh, wow, Annabeth! You were so convincing, you had me there for a second…" From the expression on her face, she was dead-serious. "Wait, you're kidding right? It was a joke. Wasn't it? NO. WAY. Annabeth, you're crazy, I swear it. Sober up, Annabeth! I'm not—"

"Listen, Thals. Take my advice, since you came here for it. It doesn't have to be real, just ask someone to help you out."

I thought about that, but immediately realized I couldn't. "I don't know any guys. Well, not enough to do me a favor."

"What about those other weirdoes who used to stalk you?"

"Oh, Hades, no! They'll just start stalking me all over again and then I'll have another problem to deal with on my already-filled-up list."

"Percy?" I thought I saw her blush when she said his name, but she wasn't looking at me when she suggested it, so I wasn't too sure.

"No, everyone knows he's my cousin, whether they like it or not. And having rumors about me dating a family member isn't any Christmas wish on my list that I know of."

Annabeth shrugged. "Well, find somebody, and I would love to help, but my free period's about over, and I need to get down to the library. Some dim-wit needs tutoring in history."

I didn't even hear her get up when she left the room. Only two words were spinning around my head for the rest of the day.

_Boyfriend?_ Shit.

* * *

WELCOME.

So, after noticing a few stories on Thalico, reading them, and liking them, I think I went out of my mind. I practically jumped into the Thalico bandwagon all together.

Yeah, that's how great Thalico is, and how addicting it got. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for love/hate relationships.

I apologize for the suck-ish name I created for Posideon. I couldn't think of anything else, I was so caught up with the story itself I didn't plan the names.

Athena would be beating me to pulp right now. _You should always have a plan!_

Also, I feel as though the characters are a little... OOC-ish, but since this is an AU (Alternate Universe), I guess you'll have to expect that. After all, they don't have weird monsters chasing them for their blood to shape their characteristics _exactly_ to the point like in the real story.

ANYWAYS, I'm currently writing the second chapter, then I'll need to edit it a few times over, so the next update may be... next week some time?

Reviews would be liked, flames welcome, constructive critisizm adored.

_-NW _:3


	2. WANTED: BOYFRIENDS

**Insert Disclaimer... no, not _here_. Yeah, _here_. **(_Look at all this space!)_

_Warning: I used the italics key a lot..._

* * *

WANTED: BOYFRIENDS.

* * *

"**I'**m _so_ dead." I expressed my sheer misfortune on the poor classroom chair as Bianca wrote down some notes for me.

"Getting a boyfriend can't be that bad," Bianca said.

I shook my head, "No, no, no, nooo. You have _no_ idea what I'm going through right now. This stalker is like a _leech_. He sticks to you for dear life and won't die when I stab him. He just sticks, whatever that remains, or maybe I didn't even hurt him. He just won't leave. Doesn't he understand English? No, means, _rejected_. Ugh!" I smacked my head on the table. "I'm slowly dying!"

Bianca patted my head either affectionately or for comfort. "Now, now, Thalia. We know that dying slowly happens when you are physically ripped open with a knife and left to slowly bleed your intestines out and let all the red bloods cells leak—"

"Bianca?"

"Yes, my little tutee?"

"Not helping."

"Oh, sorry." She slid the binder to my side of the table. "Here, study this table and you'll be all set for that unit test."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

Bianca frowned. "Come on, where's that Thalia spirit I like so much?"

She slapped my head when I didn't respond.

"Ow!" I rubbed the spot and glared at her. She smiled.

"There she is! Where have you been, Thalia? I know this girl who looks a lot like you, but she's the complete opposite. I mean, she doesn't know how to solve any of her problems, and she comes to me to mope about it all! How hopeless is that? You should find her and slap some sense into that girl. Here, I'll give you her locker number…" She wrote down my locker number and slid it across the table to me. I cracked a smile. This was what I liked about Bianca. She wasn't straightforward, and in a way, a little insane, but all of her messages were clear, no matter how weird she portrayed them. She wanted me to stop acting all hopeless and cheer up.

There are three types of graded kids at HB High. The smart kids, the okay grade kids (like me), and the stupid kids. Bianca's a smart kid. She was a year older than me, but she never acted like I was a nuisance or some little girl in the way of everything. In fact, she liked my stubborn and almost violent personality. She told me that it my personality traits of inflexible rock-headedness and defiant confidence that made me unmovable and savvy… whatever that meant.

Bianca was assigned to be my tutor after my first year of science was over. If it wasn't for her, my grades would have kept at a level under comfort like so; down, down, DOWN. You could always find her in the science room reading out of her enormously downright-old-an'-dustily ancient book called, 'Ages of Doctor's Surgical Implants and Removing Tissues'. Rumor has it, Bianca's book dated back to the very first millennia.

Bianca was into the dead stuff, like inserting probes in sick lab guinea pig's bodies, dissecting frogs, and poking into nerve systems to see the muscles move. That would freak out any normal child, but Bianca loved it. Though her hobbies were a little on the unusual side, she was one of the highest graded students in HB High. They should have let her enter into another school, but her grades in real life were just a little over average. She could get out there into the world, but her marks wouldn't attract too many jobs. Let's just say, her marks were great and all, just not good _enough_.

Well, not good enough for the real world anyways.

So, Bianca di Angelo acted some-what more of a mother than a friend, because she just was the motherly type, I guess. She was way more responsible than I was, for sure, and protective. If you needed advice or just someone to comfort you, other than Annabeth, Bianca was your girl.

She didn't talk a lot about her family. I just assumed her family problems were bad and she was sensitive about them. Maybe that's why she was motherly—maybe she had to be the mother in the family because her mom didn't do a good job of it.

Something snapped in my head suddenly. I let out a loud groan.

"I can't get a boyfriend," I sighed.

Bianca looked up from her book. "Why ever not?"

A few seconds of silence passed until we both muttered, "Hunters."

There was a club at HB high called the Hunters. It was basically a very cliché "No Boys Allowed" type of club. We had to swear to protect bullies from the innocent and turn our backs on men and that kind of hero-heroine stuff. Apparently, we also had to pledge we would stay single for the rest of our lives or become nuns. Artemis, the head girl in the Hunters, was totally serious about this stuff and every time a boy teased her, she would stuff them in a locker. Once, this guy flirted with her on a Friday and didn't get out until the janitor opened the school doors on Monday. At least, that's how she likes to tell it…

If anyone broke the oath, their life would get even more miserable than it already was, and I really didn't want that.

On my first day of freshman year, the Hunters swarmed us and asked all the girls to join their cause. Of course, girls like Selena (Silena, whatever.), gave them a shocked snort and walked away, but I thought it would be pretty cool. At least I thought so at the time. Bianca told me they did that every year. Just tried to convince us this was what we girls really needed; and let me tell you, they were pretty darn convincing. Even Bianca got turned over to their side on her first day.

"You could always ask them to get rid of him for you," Bianca suggested. I shook my head.

"As much as I want the guy to go die in a hole, I know the Hunters will do much more than chase him off." I lowered my voice. "Oh, _way_ more."

"Huh," she puffed. "So, how are you going to do this?"

"Go throw myself in a hole."

"That'll solve your problems; hey! Maybe he'll follow you down the hole!"

"Bianca?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"'kay."

I twisted the pencil in my hand. If I wanted to stay alive from the Hunters when I got a boyfriend (note the word _when_), I would need some serious back up. There weren't enough people I knew to support me, and there was _no_ way I was going over to Silena's side. If I was really planning a boyfriend, I would need to get rid of the Hunters before hand. Or maybe the Hunters had to get rid of _me_.

It clicked.

"Bianca!" I jumped up. "I have an idea."

She smiled. "Now, there's the girl I admire!"

"Uh, didn't you say I came back a while ago?"

"No, no, you come and go Thalia. So hard to obtain, so hard to grasp…" She went back to her book. I felt angry that she wasn't taking me seriously.

"Look," I interrupted her. "We need the Hunters to kick me out."

She paused. "And… _how_ are we supposed to do that?"

"We could… we could, what don't the Hunters like?"

She thought for a few seconds. "Boys, bullies, boys, male teachers, boys, bad behavior, boys, bad grades, boys—"

"Wait! Say that again."

"That again."

"No, say that one more time!"

"One more time?"

"NO! I mean, say what you said before."

"That again?"

I groaned. She laughed. "I'm kidding, you mean about boys?"

"No, you said something about grades."

She tapped a pencil on her chin. "Yeah, they hate bad grades. A few really bad grades and you can be a bad example for the newer girls."

I smiled with triumph. "So, all I have to do is not even _try_ on tests?"

"I guess. Tell me if it works, because I might want to use the same escape route." She read on like she didn't think I would succeed. But I would show her.

I almost laughed to myself. "Like a stroll in the park…" I walked out of the class, hands in my pockets, after thanking Bianca.

* * *

"Today," the teacher announced, "I will assign your summative projects." The teacher walked around with papers as everyone moaned loudly. "It will cost you about twenty percent of your marks on your report cards. It will be due around three weeks from now. Be sure to get all necessary information."

I usually frowned and stayed emo in the corner of the science classroom, but today, I was practically blinding everyone with my full-white-teeth smile. "Happy, Ms. Grace?" The teacher asked.

I just nodded.

She looked flustered and she gasped. "Now, here's an enthusiastic learner! I'll remember that for the report cards." I frowned when she emphasized the report cards. She rushed over to the computer and typed madly away. Murmuring was exchanged and I had a feeling they were about me; in a bad way. Great.

"Now I will assign your partners," the teacher announced. I felt like someone just came over and smashed my face. Partner? "Alphabetically, we have…" she went through a bunch of names. Because of "not good pairing", the teacher switched some people around (this is how Percy and Annabeth ended up together). "Thalia Grace… and Nico di Angelo."

No matter how many times I thought it over, I couldn't understand how the hell this was 'alphabetical'. When she finished, everyone got up and walked over to their partners. I didn't know whether to sit or get up. Most of the girls in the class gave me an evil-eye as they passed (they did the same with Annabeth) and marched over to their own partners. In the other corner of the class room was a guy with a hood over his face. His shoes were black and ratty and flat like skater shoes, his black skinny jeans stained with grass and what looked like a chain of death was hung loosely on the side. Talk about emo.

He didn't get up or even look at me. I sighed and walked up to him.

He barely acknowledged me; just glanced up, then back to his hands.

I frowned. "Um, I don't usually introduce myself to strangers either, so I'll go fine as Ms. Stranger, okay?"

He looked up, this time really actually looking me in the face. He had brown eyes, but they looked dark and ancient, like he'd seen it all. Kinda like a sulky grandpa. His olive skin looked rough and weathered from years of pain; but his age looked about fourteen.

"Nico," he said.

"I know," I said. "I heard."

"Rumors?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Rumors? What rumors?"

"You don't know who I am?"

I'm not entirely sure, but something about the way he said that ticked me off. "No," I snapped. "Look, I don't give a shit about who you are. I don't care if you're some hot-shot popular boy."

He looked stunned. Hah, I showed him.

Then he cracked a some-what smirk-ish smile. Like a twitching of a nerve on the corner of his mouth. "You swore at me."

"Yeah," I countered. "Well, get used to it. Because this girl's going to be swearing at your lazy, no-good carcass until your personality straightens up."

I sat down backwards on the chair in front of him so we could talk face-to-face. "Now, _work_." He stared blankly at me. "What?"

I could tell he was trying oh-so very hard not to laugh. "N-nothing. Just that, I tried to give a compliment and you blew up."

What in the fucking mind was he talking about? He didn't compliment me! He's flirting. Like Artemis would say, ignore him. "Summative."

"Oh, right."

I clicked my tongue. "So… what are we supposed to be doing?"

"Summative."

"I _know_, but what are the instructions for the summative?"

He shrugged. "Why don't you solve the problem by reading the questions, Straight A's Girl?"

I glowered at him. "Where… where did you hear that from?"

He shrugged. "All Hunters get good marks."

My eyes narrowed even further. "Who says?"

"Everyone."

"Everyone's wrong."

"Prove them wrong."

"How much do you know about me?"

He was caught off guard. "W-what do you mean?"

"You knew I was a Hunter. How?"

He tried to shrug again, but it looked like he was shivering. "There aren't that many Hunters in HB High, so people know who's in it."

"Lies. We have over twenty new girls this year. Can you name them all?"

He tried to stare me down, but I didn't back off.

"I'm not lying."

"Yeah, I'm a Hunter, and you're not. I think I would know better."

"I don't lie."

"You're lying about not lying."

"I can't lie!"

"Ugh!" I thrust my hands out. "This is exactly why Artemis warned us about boys. They even _lie_ about lying. You're so manipulative!"

He glared; for real this time. And I mean the if-you-don't-back-off-right-now-I'll-stab-you-with-a-knife-and-scoop-your-insides-out-with-a-spoon kind of glare.

"Girls are hypocrites," he said and cross his arms. I did the same and we had a five minute glaring contest.

I finally gave up and said, "I'm done here." I was about to get up and walk away when he pulled the hem of my black jacket and said, "You're going to risk your mark?"

"Yeah," I said and swiped the cloth away from him. "I was kind of hoping for that."

"You can't," he said, "because I have to get a good mark."

"Oh," I said. "And _I'm_ the person who gets straight A's?"

He gritted his teeth. "Shut up."

"No thanks, I prefer to talk."

He looked like he wanted to rip me in half. "I said, shut. Up."

"It's a free country."

He looked like he was going to add something, but sighed as the bell rang. He handed me a ripped corner of his paper. "Come over tomorrow after school," he grumbled. "We have to get started on the project."

The last think I needed was to _be_ a stalker, but I couldn't help noticing he had the same address as Bianca. Why didn't I see the connection before? Maybe it was because they both had such different personalities. Emo di Angelo and Insanely Happy di Angelo.

I walked out of class and started up the stairwell for my locker when I was cornered by the A.R.E.S.

There were many clubs in HB High, but only one gang. It was known as A.R.E.S. standing for; Always Wrestle and Eliminate Squirts. No one with guts ever told A.R.E.S. that 'wrestle' started with a 'w' and lived to tell the tale. From the name, you could tell they weren't too bright, but they were awfully muscular and packed with the meanest bullies ever created, both boys and girls.

"Hey, Hedgehog," Clarisse La Rue, the head girl in the pack, sneered. "Flirting with the teacher for better marks?"

I stopped. "No," I said. "I'm straight, Piggy Ass!"

Clarisse looked ready to tie me to a stick and roast me over a barbeque blazer.

Her eyes darkened. "You're asking for a world of pain, Hunter." Behind, the A.R.E.S. mob jeered and shoved innocent bystanders around.

I tried not to show that I was trembling. Artemis always dealt with the A.R.E.S. gang. Even if I was the lieutenant of the Hunters, it was always Artemis' stern voice that shoved Clarisse's pride down. Now that I was alone, I had to think of something before they tore me apart. "Kinda like telling a rodeo cowboy the horse is wild and dangerous," I crossed my arms to stop my hands from shaking. "You going to pick a fight, Clarisse? Here, and now?"

Everyone was watching in anticipation how the situation was going to end up.

Clarisse glowered at the audience, then at me, "Come on guys, we're going to dump the Hedgehog's head in a toilet bowl soon enough," and she marched out of the hallway with a horde of howling bullies, threatening to get me.

"Hedgehog?" I spun around on my heels to face a boy in the shadows behind the stairs.

"Well, I'll be damned," I rolled my eyes. "Mr. Emo di Angelo."

He grunted to the reference. "What's your problem?"

"Oh, no," I raised my hands in sarcastic defense. "I cannot look at your face of greatness, pure presence of beauty from the heavens."

"Shut up," he snarled almost as angrily as Clarisse. But I saw his face was flushed red in the darkness. Maybe.

"And you didn't help me because…?"

He shrugged. "You didn't look like you needed any."

"I almost got pulverized if I hadn't thought quickly!"

His eyes twitched. "Clearly, you could handle the situation."

I was going to say something again when I realized he was complimenting me. "Did you just say something… nice?"

"Pfft. I _am_ nice." He waved his hand in dismissal.

"Uh huh." I climbed the stairs two by two. I didn't need this guy to be here, telling me if I did a good job or not. If he was going to make a good impression on a Hunter, he should have known helping me rather than doing nothing was of more help. Artemis would say the same.

Now that I was thinking about the Hunters, I needed to fail a few subjects so they kicked me out, then I'd need to hang around some goofball for a few days and _voila_! Things would go right back to normal.

Whatever normal was.

I almost reached the top floor when I realized if I failed my science project, so would Nico. Not that I cared too much, but something seemed wrong about slacking off without warning him. Then it clicked. The one person who seemed to fit my plans perfectly, the one person I was going to fail with so the Hunters got rid of me, the person I decided I would put up with for a while, was Nico. It made so much sense, the part was so perfect for him I might as well find him downstairs and give him an award.

There was only one problem standing in my way.

Would he agree to it?

* * *

WELCOME.

I can't help but look at this peice and say... this is so. Effing. Short.

I really wanted to make this chapter ten or so pages, but the subjects didn't corrispond with the main topic of the chapter, so I had to throw them out and into the next chapter. Sigh...

Thanks for all the reviews :) I'm blubberingly happy.

Yes, I just made that up. Makes my think of a mellow whale...

I know, my pathetic attempt to make the A.R.E.S. standing forms were just so pathetically written, I almost threw up, and the dialogue was really, really suck-ish. A little out of character with the whole Clarisse and Thalia show down. Ugh, I hate personality writing. Bianca is pretty different to what the book refers to her as (responsable, mature, etc...) but you'll find out soon why she's so bubbley. And the whole 'Hedgehog' nickname, and how Nico knows so much... okay, I'll stop ranting now.

Anyways, first, yes, I spelt 'Selena' wrong the first time, but I did not notice the mistake with the god of the sea. Thanks for catching it!

I'll be updating weekly, so... see ya next Saturday!

Reviews would be liked, flames welcome, constructive critisizm adored.

_-NW _:3


	3. WARNING: BETS

**I, NessieWinsa, the true owner of the nickname 'Nessie', disclaim all information used in this fanfic. I pledge my life to the PJatO series and the Queen, I mean, Rick Riordan... **

_No one needs to know about the mix up..._

* * *

WARNING: BETS.

* * *

**I **woke up to the sound of thunder. Great. Nothing like a little wake-me-up thunder alarm clock.

I really didn't want to face another day. I could simply stay here, under the cozy, inviting blankets and pretend I wasn't myself. Maybe I could sleep, join the bears, hibernate with them, you know? That sounded like a pretty sweet deal to me.

But, of course, reality always calls.

"Nico!"

Ugh, please, please, PLEASE let me sleep.

"Nico, breakfast!"

I'm not hungry. Go. Away.

"Nico, I'm going to leave for school and you'll get in _trou—ble!_"

I'll take my chances.

"Nico, do you want me to come up there?"

No, I just want to sleep in peace. Just like dead guys in the backyard you're going to bring back to life if you don't _shut up_.

"NICO!" I felt the warmth disappear and a harsh slap on the head bring me to my senses. I jumped in surprise and fell of the other side of the bed.

"I'm up! I'm up!" I scrambled to my feet.

Bianca gave me a stern look. "Seriously, you need a better schedule. I can't play mom for you all the time." As soon as she finished her sentence, she covered her mouth and I gave her a glare.

"Don't. Talk about. Mom." I pushed her out the door without a word and slammed the door.

"Nico, listen, I'm sorry! Okay? Don't ignore me. Hey, hey! Open up!" She banged the door roughly and I pushed my back against it with all my weight. I drowned her pleas with my Ipod at full blast. I tried not to take notice the little water droplets falling on my lap.

Mom.

We hadn't talked a lot about her for a long time.

Even when we had to, we avoided using that word.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

I wasn't going to break down. And that was that.

After a few more minutes, the pounding of the door on my back stopped, and slowly, I crept away to put on a set of new clothes.

I opened the windows and let a cool fall breeze in.

But, even so, it didn't wash away any unwanted memories.

* * *

I grabbed some toast after brushing my teeth. The house was silent and cold, just like it usually was, so I assumed Bianca had already left without little ol' me. I tied my sneakers on and opened the front door. It was pretty warm for an October morning, and the leaves were just starting to fall off. The wind was blowing them in a dance, higher and higher, a swirl of colours on a canvas, until they were too high to see.

I trudged around the house to the backyard.

Taking the padlock in my hand, I fumbled with the keys and shunted them into the lock. Feeling the cold metal made my hands feel warmer, for some odd reason. It always made me feel good, like I had nothing to regret when there were a lot of things in my life that were my fault. I turned it, and with a _click_, the padlock slid open, and I pushed the gate with a _creeeak!_

I put my hands in my pockets, and strolled to the end of the yard. The fence was in the way, it always was, so I jumped it. On the other side, the ghostly dry dirt kicked up and fogged my view. When it settled, I saw what I had come for. The cemetery.

I walked forward, nodded at Mr. Dubois, smiled at Mrs. Elwood, greeted Mr. Healdton and whispered to Little John Tommy about the newest baseball card. Finally, I reached the tomb I wanted to visit all along, the one I had always came for in the graveyard.

...

.:Maria di Angelo:.

...

I dared not to look at the date. They brought back too many nightmares.

"Hey, mom." I took off my backpack, putting it on the dusty ground. "How've you been?"

She would say she was fine, and that the ground wasn't so dark and lonely when I was here.

"Mom, I'm going to school soon, so I can only stay for a little while."

She would say it was fine, as long as I was her little baby.

"Jeez, I'm not a kid anymore, Mom. I'm fifteen now!"

She would say I would always be her little baby, no matter the age.

"Yeah, well, some day, I'm going to die."

She would yell, Don't talk like that!

"But it's true!"

She would say, If you ever have children, I hope they turn out just like you so you could understand.

"Oh, ha-ha-ha, sure. Why not? Kids."

She would ask why I was being sarcastic.

"Because, Mom, I don't like little kids! They scare me."

You were pretty scary yourself, my little baby.

"Mom, gods, _please_ stop calling me that. Look, I have to get going. We'll talk later, okay?"

I smiled and picked up my bag, slung it over my shoulder.

One day, she was going to come back. I knew it. Then, I wouldn't have to pretend anymore.

Of course, reality always gave me a wake up call when I drifted off.

* * *

"Hey, Nico!"

I turned and saw a messy haired boy run towards me. His sea-green eyes flashed excitedly and I blinked. He hadn't been this excited since he beat up his step-dad in a game of poker.

"Hey," I said lamely, opening my locker door.

He smiled and said, "So… did you…?"

I blinked once more. "Uh… no?"

He sighed. "I thought we had a deal, Nico. Do you want me to come over and collect it?"

All I knew was that I was NOT letting him over to my house. Not with that girl. She was monster. And I mean, monster crazy. That may be grammatically incorrect, but Hades, that's how screwed up my mind became after she talked to me.

Hell, I'm not even sure what Percy was talking about anymore.

"So," I said. "Just wondering, what was it I was supposed to give you?"

Percy slapped his forehead. "I feel like I told you this a hundred times over the phone yesterday."

"Then make it a hundred plus one."

"Gods, Nico, you need a note pad. I won the 'Bet' yesterday, remember?"

Bet, bet, bet. Ring a bell?

No.

"Um…"

"The bet?"

"Nope."

"Science class?"

"Nada."

"Partners…?"

"Got nothing."

"Please don't make me say it!"

"Do you not like saying whatever you're going to say?"

"W-what? No. No! I like saying…" He blushed.

_Ooh._ Her.

"I think I remember now. What was her name…? Annabel…?" I watched Percy's face flush in embarrassment and anger with amusement. He hated it when people got her name wrong. And, hey, I was just sitting back and enjoying the show.

"Annabeth," he said through clenched teeth.

I laughed. "Yeah, I remember now. Well, sort of. Something about getting partnered up with your little love."

He was trying his best not to sever my head from my body. "_Yes_, Nico. The bet was that the guys had to convince the teacher to be partnered up with the girl they _like_. Not _love_."

I smiled. "Okay, I remember."

"Hey, didn't you win too?"

I almost ran straight into a locker. "W-what?"

"Isn't Thalia the girl you had a crush on in eighth grade?"

"No! I don't know what you're talking about. She was someone else. She looked different."

"Uh, her style changed in ninth grade because she joined the Hunters. That's why."

"They're not the same person." I insisted.

"Man, I know my own cousin. You described her to me once, and she fit Thalia's description perfectly. She's your old dream girl."

Somehow, Percy putting Thalia in that context didn't make me feel any better.

"She's not!"

"Yes, she is!"

"No, she isn't!"

"Stop denying it, Nico!"

"You shut your gobber already!"

"She's the one you like!"

"Do I have to shut your pie hole for you? Because I'd gladly show you how it's done."

"But she is!"

"She is what?" I turned around to face Bianca, an irritated smile perched on my lips. Her arms were crossed and her legs were planted on the floor like she had rooted there for good. She wasn't letting us pass. "I hope you're not talking about me."

"We weren't," Percy said, "we were talking about my cousin, Thalia. I think she was Nico's—_OW!_" I whistled after kicking Percy's shin as hard as I could.

"Nico's what?" Bianca seemed mildly interested. Not as angry anymore, but interested.

"My… my long lost friend. She, uh, I used to know her a long time ago. We were really good friends." I scratched my head and looked away.

A moment or two later, Bianca started to laugh.

"You mean Thalia Grace? Wow, Nico! I didn't know. You should have told me, because I tutor her. Hey, maybe you want to come along, because I'm going there now! She'll be _so_ excited to see you."

Shit, Nico. You just pushed yourself in a manhole dug up by yourself.

"Uh, gah… I-I don't think I—"

"He'd love to!" Percy patted my shoulder and I shoved him off.

"Great, let's go now!" Bianca hummed and marched ahead, down the stairs to the library.

"Thanks a lot, Seaweed Brain." I hissed and ran after my sister.

Percy yelled back, "No problem, Dead Boy!"

Funny he said that. Because it was pretty true.

I was going to be _the_ Dead Boy in thirty second flat.

* * *

"Thalia!"

Shit.

"I brought you a surprise!"

Double shit.

"Take a guess!"

Triple shit with a cherry on top, a shake, and, yes, I would like fries with that.

Oh, wait, I can't keep ordering that at McDonald's. They always give me a funny look.

"Uh… you brought your book?"

Hm, wise guess. But, no.

"No, silly! I brought a surprise for_ you_, not me."

A surprise that's going to make you Kraken from the sea.

"Oh my gods! Did you bring me STEAK?"

…well, at least I know she likes steak. So, I might look unrecognizable if I was put in an oven. I might even pass as a skinny pig or a diseased cow.

"Uh… no? Come on! Think in the past!"

"What I had for breakfast?"

"No, about your long-term past."

"…What I had for dinner yesterday?"

"I meant your childhood."

"My… mom?"

"Not family! Something you cherished when you were a kid."

Damn. I don't think I could escape in time if I ran for it.

"…Bianca, what did you have for breakfast? Did someone poison your cereal?"

"Oh, why don't I show you…"

"The poison?"

"NO! The surprise!"

"Oh, sure. Why not?"

Bianca pulled me from behind the door.

Five, four, three, two—

"This… is the surprise? You brought your brother?"

I scowled at her, then Bianca.

"But you have to remember him!" Bianca pressed, "Unless… Nico, were you lying?"

"No," I said, then turned to Thalia. "No," I repeated and gave her a warning look.

Please play along. Please play along. Please play along.

"Oh… I remember him."

YES! I owe you one, Thalia.

"See, I knew it!" Bianca beamed. Getting families and having reunions was Bianca's thing. She sat me down across from Thalia.

"Yeah," I said. "We… we were friends in _kindergarten_." I gave her a look and her mouth twitched agitatedly. "And grade school, and…"

"We hung out when we were really little…"

"…And then she moved…"

"…And we stopped playing together…"

"…So we weren't friends anymore…"

"But that was okay, because he was pretty annoying." I kicked her under the table.

She glared and I said, "She was really girly and she put her hair in braids…" She kicked me harder.

I glowered. She glowered. We kicked each other madly under the table while saying things about our 'past'.

"He cried a lot…"

"…she hit me with a bucket…"

"…he put sand in my hair…"

"…she bit my arm…"

"…he painted on my face in art class…"

"…she put worms in my lunch…"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Did NOT!"

"Did TOO!"

"DID NOT!"

"DID TOO!"

"YOU GUYS!"

We stopped and stared angrily at Bianca. Our faces became red when we saw everyone was staring at us. The librarian pointed to the door.

The three of us sighed and rushed out the door to avoid anymore stares and rumors that were already forming.

* * *

"You guys really like to fight, don't you?"

Thalia and I were on either side of Bianca as we walked through the hallways.

"Yes, we do."

"Finally," I said. "Something we can agree on."

"Do you enjoy it?"

"No," we both said at the same time. Tomato patches grew on either side of Bianca.

"Well, that's nice." Bianca said. "Now we have to find another room to study in. Maybe the Biology room. Wait here." Bianca rushed into the room next door and left us in silence.

"Uh," I said. "Thanks."

"Yeah?" She said. "No problem, even thought I don't know what I did."

"You kind of saved me from getting my moral whipped by Bianca."

"Oh that," she said and waved it off. "It was kind of funny."

I wanted to snap at her how stressful it was for me, but thinking back on it, she was right. "Yeah, it was. I think we should do that again some time."

She smiled. "Mm hm."

We both stared at the Biology room door without a word, waiting for Bianca to emerge.

"Hey, Nico?"

"Yeah?"

"Could you do me a favor?"

"Uh, sure. Depends on what it is."

She was quiet for a few seconds. "Fail the project."

I looked at her. "And… why would I do that? You're my partner, so it's not like you'd get any personal gain."

"It's the Hunters." Thalia admitted. "They're driving me insane. I have to fail a few grades to kick me out of the club and then I'm free."

I tried not to smile. I tried very hard. I bit my tongue and pressed my lips together. I balled my fists and curled my toes if I tried jumping up and down or drumming my fingers in excitement. I was as stiff as a board. "Just out of curiosity, why would you do that?"

She didn't say anything. "I have an issue."

"Yes, yes you do."

She glared at me. "Thanks for stating the obvious."

"Hey, just adding onto something you confessed to yourself."

"I'm not retarded, you idiot," she bonked my head with her fist lightly.

I shivered when her skin touched my forehead. She didn't seem to notice.

Just then, Bianca came out and motioned Thalia to go in.

"I'll tell you later," Thalia whispered as she slipped inside.

I shrugged and put my hands in my pockets.

I made my way down to the cafeteria where the guys would be having lunch. Spotting Percy's wild hair in the crowd, I bought pizza and slid into the reserved seat for me beside him.

"Hey, Nico." Percy's mouth was half full of pizza gunk. "Where've you been?"

"Oh, you know perfectly well where I've been." I bit off the end of my pizza.

He smiled. "Oh, right. How's your long lost friend a.k.a. Thalia?"

"Oh my _gods_, Nico!" Someone screamed behind me. "Are you, like, going _out_ with _Thalia_?"

I half chocked on the pizza and hammered my chest for the stuff to get unclogged. One of the Stoll brothers, Travis, handed me a shake and I gulped it down. "No, Estelle," I said.

Estelle smiled and batted her eyelashes. I felt like I was going to throw up what I just gulped down.

"Oh, that's good. Because, you know, there are, like, _so_ many more pretty faces than, like, Thalia's, like a certain someone I know." Again, with the flirting. Gods, can't I just eat my pizza in peace?

"I'm sorry, but I thought it was lunch time." I said, clearly trying to gently push the girl away.

"Oh course it is, hon! Why else would we be, like, in the cafeteria?"

Some girls are so dense while others have killer instinct.

"I think Nico wants some napkins," Connor, the other Stoll brother, said.

He winked at me and I agreed.

"Of course, I'll, like, get it just for you!" She and three other girls rushed off to the cafeteria kitchen.

Connor and Travis waited until they were out of ear-shot. I asked them, "Got 'em?"

"Yep," Connor said and slapped his hands together. Travis produced a gym bag full of napkins. "Swiped them all!"

I sighed with relief. "A whole lunch period to ourselves then."

"You're fan girls are getting more and more persistent," Chris said while sipping his soda. "I'm surprised you're still alive." He was a year our senior.

"You're lucky, Chris." Percy grumbled. "If you had as many crazed 'fan girls' as I do, you're be dead."

"Not true," he said, straightening up. "I can get as many fan girls as I want."

"Oh, really?" Charlie said. "I bet you can't get even one girl to stay interested in you for a month." He too was a year our senior.

"I'll prove it to you! Pick any one girl. She has to be about our age, and attend this school."

Charlie chuckled. "Alright then, it's a bet. I pick a girl, and you have to get her to like you. You win, I give you equipment for one of your biggest pranks. I win, you clean up the forges for a month." The forges got pretty stinky and hot after all those sweaty guys and girls who worked there. The place was messy and scrapped with metal and strange mechanics. Only a smart person could get through without creating an accident that would blow up the school.

"Easy as pie."

"Then you'd better look at the recipe before you bake it." Charlie stuck out his hand. "Shake on it."

I rolled my eyes and went back to my pizza. Charlie was so going to win.

"Bet is on!" They shook.

"Okay," said Charlie. "I pick. Now, don't go home crying to mommy that you lost this little bet at the end, okay?"

"You'll have to wash my grandmother's feet with your tongue before I do that!"

Suspense.

"Clarisse La Rue."

I almost chocked on my pizza the second time that day. Hell, I think Percy was coughing too. I snuck a peek at Chris's face. All the colour was drained out.

"Sh-she's… she's not even in our grade!" Chris sputtered.

"Yes, she is." Charlie clarified. "She's in grade eleven, Mrs. Stevens homeroom. I guess you don't have any classes with her, huh?"

Everyone was silent.

I pulled out a little business card from my pocket.

.::.::.::.

**The Death Wonderland**

Undertaker Services

Call (XXX) XXX-XXXX

We supply the best funeral services in North America!

_Our Services Are To Die For!_

.::.::.::.

"Hey, man." I said to Chris. "In case you need my dad's help for funeral preparations…"

* * *

WELCOME.

I'm more pleased with this chapter, it was longer, more interesting, and we learn a bit more about Nico's past, personality, friends... and a little (crush) interest he had for Thalia...

Gods, I'm such a fan girl.

Apologies for the late update (ish), I'm pretty obsessed with grammar and stuff.

I hope the little love interests and details caught everyone's attention (Ex. Chris has to get Clarisse to like him, Nico's dad is and Undertaker, Nico's mom died :(, Percy likes Annabeth 8), Connor and Trvis are still up to their no-good ways...). I want to add in more (like my obsession for Tratie and I want to introduce Grover and Juniper and Rachael and Chiron and Mr. D and Luke, etc. etc. etc. Please add on!)

The plot's a little slow, that's what I noticed. I hope to increase the speed once I have everyone introduced. Feel free to ask me to make a character and slot them in there (like I did with Estelle, and whoever is named Estelle, I hope you know you are nothing like the Estelle I created. She'll be your evil twin).

Percy's character is screwed up. I swear to the River Styx, his character is too mellow. I need to tone him down a bit, and I can't write Chris and Charlie's personalities due to the lack of interest I have for them. Gods, NO ONE HATES CHARACTER WRITING MORE THAN I DO!

Well, that's all for my ranting today. If anyone catches any mistakes, I will give you a virtual cookie, ask for a chainsaw, and rip up the websi- no. I won't. Give into. The temptation...

Reviews are liked, flames are welcome, constructive critisizm adored.

_-NW_ :3


	4. CAUTION: TIME

**A disclaiming we will go, a disclaiming we will go, oh writing for dear me-oh, a disclaiming we will go~**

_Camping... it gives me seizures..._

* * *

CAUTION: TIME.

* * *

I sighed.

My echoing steps on the pavement stopped. I turned and yelled, "Would you quit it already?"

Thalia grumbled something and trudged up beside me.

"Do I have to drag you?" I frowned. She was being all spy-ish and trying to hide so no one saw her following me. "Sneaking around is going to make you even more suspicious."

"Are we there yet?" She ignored me.

"No," I said for the fifth time.

She scowled at me. "When?"

"When we get there," I told her.

"When's that?"

"When I tell you we're there."

"When will you tell me we get there?"

"When we arrive and I tell you, you'll know."

"Well, when are we going to―"

"Jeez, Thalia, relax!"

"Okay, okay," she muttered, "I'll stop bothering you."

We walked in silence along the street. Fall was slowly turning to winter, the days were getting shorter and the street lamps were turning on earlier. We passed by a streetlight that dimly flickered on and off, the shadows of the trees we passed grew longer and larger. The sun was sinking behind us and gusts of wind fazed my bones so they chilled slightly and clacked against each other each step of the way. Thalia's wild black hair spiraled endlessly as she grunted and tried to fix it. She finally gave up and put on her hood. Our footsteps seemed to echo on the empty street, the houses were dull and grey, hollow and silent. The grass on the lawns were long and yellow, thin and bony of night frost. The dirt was thick and dusty like the cemetery but grimier.

"Aren't there any kids on your street?"

I said, "No." It came out so quiet, it was a whisper, but I knew Thalia heard it because of the echo.

"Are you sure no one's watching?"

"No one lives here but me and Bianca."

"But what about these houses?" She gestured to the dull, run-down homes.

"They're my dad's clients. Well, at least they used to be."

"But you said no one lived here. Wait, your dad sells houses?"

"No," I said. "He's an undertaker."

"Oh." She was quiet for another minute. "So, he checks if people are dead and then arranges their funerals?"

"Pretty much," I said.

"What's he like?"

Once again, her question caught me off guard. "W-what?"

"What type of dad is he?" She re-phrased.

"O-oh, I don't know. I haven't seen him for a long time."

We were quiet. The steps continued to bounce from around us.

"What's your dad like?"

I assumed she wasn't going to answer until she said, "Oh just the usual."

"I see," I said. She was lucky to have a normal dad.

"I haven't seen him since I was seven." She admitted. "He came to our house and took my baby brother right after he was born. I didn't even talk to him. He just reached into the baby cradle and took Jason out of the apartment with mom screaming at him." She stopped. "I haven't even seen Jason. He was a new-born and I only saw him once."

Oh.

That's what she meant by usual.

"How's your mom doing?"

She glared at the gravel. I instantly felt remorse. "She's… okay. What about your's?"

"Oh," I said and pointed across the street. "Look, it's my house." I jogged away from her before she could notice I was avoiding the question.

* * *

"Nico! What are you doing so late?" Bianca shouted from the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her apron and came into the hallway, a scratchy sound coming from her slippers trudging on the carpet. "I thought you were―oh." Bianca stopped when Thalia emerged from the shadows of the door, closing it softly. "Thalia! What are you doing here?"

"Project," we both said.

She smiled. "Well, that's great! You two can have some good bonding time while I make dinner, alright? Here, let me take your coats."

"Bianca," I said, "I can take my own coat off."

"I'll handle it on my own too, thanks." Thalia said.

"Okay then, go in the living room where I can watch you two―"

"BIANCA―"

"Okay! I'll be in the kitchen if you need any help." She swiftly and wisely chose to slip into the kitchen without embarrassing me further. Thalia was a little red in the face too.

"Sorry about Bianca," I apologized.

She grumbled, "I know what you mean, she's embarrassed me thousands of times in front of Annabeth."

I handed her a hanger and we hung our coats in the closet. Our shoes laid in the shoe tray and socks on marble slid on the floor. We reached the padded carpet in the living room, a small coffee table in the middle of two black leather arm chairs and one loveseat. We took the armchairs across from each other.

"I like the black dog," Thalia said. Her finger pointed to the carpet on the wall. The entire room was covered with furry pelts and carpets embroiled with fabricated pictures and golden weaved threads. Many of the colours were dark grey and sad blues, even some pure blacks. A small ancient TV set with a bulky behind sat in the corner of the room, an untouched remote letting dust sit in the buttons. No windows were on the walls, and if there were, the carpets covered them. A candle flickered motionlessly in another corner of the room. I brought it over and put it on the table between us. It gave off a much brighter light than normal candles did, like a light bulb. The fireplace on the side provided heat to our stinging faces and legs.

"I like it too," I said. The carpet was of a black three-headed dog standing guard of an entrance. It was growling and blood was dripping down of each of it's drooling mouths. Even if it did look menacing, the carpet always gave me comfort. I felt protected and safe because its back was to us but one if its heads were in our direction, whimpering. I wanted to reach out and pet its sad head, but that would look nutty.

"What is he?"

I wondered what made her think it was a boy. "He's Cerbus, the three-headed guard dog. From Greek mythology, he guarded the entrance to the land of the dead, the Underworld. He ripped apart and ate any living that tries to trespass."

"That's cheerful," she said, but I heard the humor in her voice.

"Cookies?" Bianca soared into the room. She plopped down at the table and munched on one.

"No thanks," I said.

Thalia took one.

Bianca returned to the kitchen and sang softly with the radio. I turned over the pages of the rubric of the assignment and began to read.

"Nico?'

"Yes?"

"Look at me." I looked up. "I need to ask you a favor."

Silence.

"Nope," I turned back to the book.

"Nico."

"Wha-at?" I looked up again. She tried to hold my gaze and I found myself stuck by her electrifying blue eyes. "No, I'm not failing this project."

"Why not?"

"Because…" I didn't know how to say it. My mom wanted me to keep trying my best in school, no matter how hard it was. She died later and I didn't know how to disobey that without feeling like I was breaking a promise.

"Because what?"

"Nothing, just something I said I would do for someone."

"Can't you tell that someone you can't keep that promise?"

"Look, I'm not going to fail this because you want to give into selfishness."

She got angry. "Well, I just want to let you know so you're not surprised! Who is this person anyway?"

I clenched my teeth and squeezed my eyes. Finally, I got up and motioned Thalia to come with me. We went to a window in another room and I pointed out to the cementary. "She's out there."

"Your backyard?"

"In the graveyard."

"She's dead?"

"Yes," I hissed painfully.

She asked quietly, "Is she your mother?"

I left for the living room.

* * *

"Dinner!" Bianca walked in with three trays, one on each hand and one on her head.

Thalia rushed over and took the one from her head, scolding her.

We all sat on the rug at the coffee table, cross-legged, and dug in. I wanted to tune out of their girl conversations, but I couldn't help over-hearing some things.

"Of course I cooked this!"

"Well, I never expected it to taste so good."

"Good gods, Thalia! Don't you eat like this at home? Is that why you're so skinny?"

Silence.

"Okay, what did I say this time?"

"No."

"No what?"

"I don't eat like this at home."

"Well, I'll take that as a compliment." Bianca slurped her noodles. "What do you eat?"

"I don't know. Whatever that's in the cupboard or fridge."

"My goodness, you'll never get enough nutrients that way. It will be much worse when you get pregnant, see if the baby doesn't get enough―"

"Bianca?"

"Yes?"

"I'm not pregnant."

"Well, you might… in the future. It will be uncomfortable for you and the un-born child."

"Speaking of uncomfortable, I'd like a new conversation please."

"Okay, well, how's life at home?"

"Oh, way to put the mood back on track."

"No, seriously, how's your parents?"

Silence.

"Okay, fine, don't talk."

"I told you I haven't seen my dad since I was seven." Her voice was low, as if an intruder would hear. Oh, right, that would be me.

"And your mom?"

"… I don't know, and I don't care."

I suddenly felt the urge to walk over to her and punch her in the mouth. She knew Bianca and I didn't have a mother, and she had her mother, yet she didn't care about her. I wanted a mother, not Bianca playing mom. I wished my mom was here to direct me when I had trouble. I wished my mom was here for me when I was little, so I wouldn't have to make so many mistakes. I might sound very wimpy to you, but it was true. Growing up without your parents was hard since you couldn't tell from right or wrong without their guidance. Thalia had something I didn't. She should have been grateful. But no, she didn't even bother checking on her own mother once in a while.

"What did she do this time?"

"…she was making out with some guy on the couch."

I almost spat out my noodles.

"Really? So… what did you do?"

"What else could I do?"

Flee? Hide? Call 911?

"I hit him on the head with a broom. Then I threw stuff at him and chased him out of the apartment." She slurped. "That bastard…"

"Thalia, if your mom―"

"That bitch."

"That's not very nice, Thalia."

"She made me―"

"Thalia, she's lonely―"

"She brings home a new one everyday, so don't talk to me about―"

"She loves you―"

"Yeah, she hits me to show me she loves me―"

"SHE HITS YOU?" I jumped to my feet angrily.

Silence.

"I mean, I… you, your mom… I'll sit down now." I plopped down and hung my head.

"Yes…" Thalia said.

"Why?"

"I sure as Hades don't know."

"But, but I don't think… moms aren't supposed to do that." I insisted. My mother would never hit me or slap me. She would only scold me lightly.

"Yeah, well," she jabbed a thumb at herself. "My mom does."

"I don't believe it." I crossed my arms.

"You want proof?" She looked furious, and her eye shined with tears, but I wasn't sure. I shouldn't have pushed her, but I nodded. Her eyebrows creased downward and she pulled off her jacket. She pulled at the neckline of her T-shirt and I almost went red in the face from embarrassment. "See? There, your proof."

Along her neck, shoulder bone and arms were black, blue-ish purple bruises I wouldn't have noticed unless I squinted. They looked like tattoo marks or something, but they were clearly bruises from my distance.

I paled.

Moms weren't supposed to hit children, I never knew they could. I didn't feel any anger towards Thalia anymore.

The room was eerily silent, and for once, Bianca wasn't talking continuously.

The candle light faltered for a second, then burned brightly as before.

"Well, I think it's time Thalia went home, isn't it?"

Thalia said nothing and concentrated on the threads of the carpet under her feet. She rose silently and put on her jacket. Then, she was out the door before I knew it.

* * *

I brought a candle to my room. Placing it on the nightstand, I reached into my pajama pocket and produced a stone. The stone was hard and sharp, prickly and damaged.

I put it on the windowsill next to the photo of my family. I was in a bundle in my mother's arms. Bianca stood next to my mother, grasping on to her dress and trying to hid her face. My parents were both smiling.

"That would be the day," I said through the window overlooking the backyard and beyond. "When we're all happy. If only it could be like that again, huh Mom?"

Somewhere in the cemetery, a shadow lingered near my mother's tomb. Then it faded, and everything was still.

* * *

WELCOME.

Damn... it's too short...

Sorry, this chapter doesn't have too many laughs. I decided to make this a bit more of a get-to-know-the-character chapter. Just to see if I could keep the interactions 'them' and more serious.

I have come to conclude that each two chapters will be in Thalia or Nico's POV because... well, it's about them. So, enough said.

I'm sorry for the length, and the chapter name, it's very uncreative. Not the length, I mean, school's butchering me from the inside out.

So, again, if any mistakes are caught, please tell me so I may fix them.

PS. We got the movie 'UP' today. I believe there is no other animation that has touched my heart and made me cry in a bucket during, after and the following day after the movie. Russel's a cute kid, just needs a bit more excersize...

Reviews would be liked, flames welcome, constructive critisizm adored.

_-NW_ :3


	5. ATTENTION: FAMILYHOOD

**~My disclaimer is under the fiction, my disclaimer lies under the words, my disclaimer lies under the fiction, please read my disclaimer to see~... **_I don't own anything but the plot_.

* * *

ATTENTION: FAMILY-HOOD.

* * *

**I** stopped right in front of the door.

I remembered.

So many things had happened on this street, in this apartment, at this door.

Every time I entered the building, snippets of scenes entered my thoughts as if they had minds of their own. The dusty album of memories witnessed by a little girl, her innocence ripped from her childhood too soon.

I could walk up the staircase and remember the beat of leaving footsteps. _Ba-ba-ba-ba-bump_. Pause. _Bump-bump-bump-ba-bump._ Opening of a door. _Bang! Ba-bump-bump-bump…_

Father's footsteps.

I could open the door and remember the gun-shot voices echoing in my hollow mind.

Get out!

I hate you—

I said, OUT!

You won't be able to pay the taxes on your own. You live off of me! You won't be able to take care of yourself, let alone our daughter—

Shut up! I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses anymore. Go away and never, EVER come back. She's MY daughter. Not YOURS, and I have responsibility for her.

She's only six—

My daughter, my home, MY LIFE. OUT! _Slam!_

I fixed my gaze on the rusty, broken doorknob. The sphere-like grip was hanging off slightly. As if it was a bomb waiting to happen, I poked it and flinched. The cold metal gave me bad memories too. I remember how much metal tasted like blood. It was gross and scary.

Finally, I relaxed myself enough to take hold of the knob and open it without ripping the knob right off the door. The door opened with a satisfying_ creeeaaaaak_ just like the doors from horror movies. Only that this horror movie was real.

I wanted to tiptoe in and hope not to see something disturbing on the couch or equally disgusting in the master bedroom, but of course, it had to be worse.

"Where have you been?" A woman with wild, curly black hair thundered over me like a predator about to rip my lungs out.

"Nowhere," I tried to dodge pass her, but she shot her hand out just in time to grab my shoulder and fling me to the living room.

"Rea-lly?" She almost sang in a high-pitch voice. "Are you sure?"

I caught myself from falling and stood my ground. "Yes." I stubbornly denied.

She shook her head. "I raised you—correction, _tried_ to raise you to never lie to me, but you never learn, do you?" I noticed her hand conceal something behind her. It wasn't until she raised it to her lips did I realize she was drunk. The liquor sloshed around in the bottle, spilling on the carpet. I tried not to look frantic and scared, but in truth, I was.

"You don't scare me." I challenged. "One day I won't come home."

She laughed a horrible cracking sound, dry and dead like fall leaves under your shoes. "Oh, how forward I am looking to that day!" She said gleefully. She licked her colourless lips, her lipstick all over her face. Some guy had been here earlier. I just knew it.

"I hate you," I hissed. I never could confess it, but I really did care about my mother. She never was herself after father left with Jason. When it was just me and her, one on one, after father left for the first time, it was fine. The apartment was still full of life. The house was warm and welcoming, no matter what time of the day, week, month, or year. Then Jason was born. Then stolen. That's when things stopped working properly. She never looked me in the eye, she stopped working an honest life. She went to bars and casinos and gambled and spent her money on drugs and alcohol. Then this guy came along and offered her a job. She told me it would fix things up, that the job would be good for both of us. We would have the money, I could go to school and eat, keep the house and most of all; she would be loved. I didn't understand back then, but soon I learned about her job, what she did for a living. A prostitute.

"How dare you, you little spoiled brat." She limped and wobbled at surprising speed. Her hands and fingers wrapped around my hair and began to tear upward before I could react. She whacked me in the head when I tried to pull her hands away and I stumbled back to the balcony. "I pay for your food, your schooling, your home, your life! You ungrateful child, I'll report you for this!"

"Report for what?"

"Abuse! Tyranny! Drugging!"

"I never did any of those things!" I exclaimed as she came forward. "They won't believe you, you're drunk!"

"Am I? AM I?" She shrieked and took the bottle in her hand, trying to hit me with it. I dodged and it nearly came in contact with my head. She yelled in frustration. "You cursed child! It's because of you that your father left us! It's because of you that I have no where to turn to, no other job, no career, no dream to live! Cursed child!" She took a butter knife from the kitchen and waved it around like a wand. I would have laughed if I wasn't so scared. Was it true? No. It couldn't have.

She charged at me. I knew she never would have been so bold to attack me with a knife—even a butter one—but the alcohol increased her anger more than her confusion. She was being blinded by rage.

"Wait, stop!" I yelled while trying to disarm her.

"Get back!" She shrieked when I twisted the wine bottle out of her grasp and pushed her on her back. I ran to the hall and hid behind the musty old and wooden cupboard. I pleaded in my mind to anyone out there for her not to see me. The shadows covered me like a protective blanket and I searched for an outline of my mother's figure.

_Ba-bump-ba-bump-babump_. Pause. I bit my lip. She was still on the wooden floor. _Pa-ta-rruh-rrrruh-ruh._ Pause. She was on the carpet. I could hear her bare feet padding on the rug. _Shrk-shrrrrrk_. The butter knife scrapped on the white wall, pealing the plaster and faded wall-paper. I squeezed my eyes shut, just like the little girl again. When I opened them once more, the _ba-bump-ba-bump_ started again. She was on the wooden floor in front of me. I saw her faint silhouette against the night-light in the bathroom.

"Dear, you can't hi-ide from me!" I snuck up from behind her, my hands held high.

"Forgive me," I whispered.

She was about to spin on her heels. "What—"

But that's as far as she got. My hands came down with such a great force that the bottle shattered against her skull and the shards exploded onto the floor. My mother had a dazed expression then dropped. I caught her and dragged her to her room. I got a dust pan and swept up all the glass, trying not to cut myself. Then I put them in the garbage. I took a short shower and got ready for bed. I did the homework I could understand and turned out the lights.

She wouldn't remember anything when she woke up. I hoped it would stay that way.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up and found my mother fast asleep in her bed, a swollen bruise on her head, but nothing out of the ordinary. I dressed up, brushed my teeth, put on my backpack and stepped out of the house. I walked to the grocery store and bought myself a small milk carton to have breakfast.

"Thalia," Annabeth greeted when I arrived to school. "How's that solution I advised to you going?"

"You what?" I yawned. She giggled.

"Oh, that stalking business. Anyways, I think I'm going to go shopping today."

I started to back away. "O-okay. Annabeth, please don't tell me you were abducted by aliens. Or worse, high on drugs. No, wait, I know. Someone altered your brain about now your acting just like Silena! You—"

"Calm down, Thals." She sighed, her ordinary annoyed self again. "Look, I…" She drifted off.

"You what?"

Her cheeks went red. "I… I over heard… you know…"

"I'm listening."

"Apparently, boys are very a-attracted to cheery behavior…"

I couldn't help laughing. "W-wait, you mean Percy?"

"NO!"

I laughed even harder.

"It's not like that!"

"Oh, I think it's very like that." I sniffled and continued to laugh.

"I just… I have to explore new ideas, okay?"

"Sure, whatever you say." My laughing only reduced a fraction.

Annabeth gave me an angry stare, trying to challenge me. I knew better than to press it on, but her blush confirmed my suspicion.

"Seriously," I said after I finished my amusement. "Percy doesn't think like that. I've known him for most of my life, trust me."

She crossed her arms. "Oh, so now you're giving me advice?"

"Yes," I smiled.

Her frown slowly turned into a surprised gape as her eyes traveled across my face. "What's that?" I touched my chin and ran my hand down my neck, following a trail of a long, blood-dried cut. Shit, I thought.

"It's nothing," I said with a smile. I should have looked more closely in the mirror. I didn't see how vivid the cut from the glass would be.

"Uh, no it's not. It looks like a large cut from something really long and sharp." Then her eyes narrowed. "No way… you're not emo, are you?"

"No."

"Oh, alright. But still, what's that cut from?"

"Uh… I accidentally impaled myself with a knife when I was cutting my food?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You…what?"

I sighed. There was no way of getting myself out of this one. I told her the truth. Everything that happened last night.

Annabeth's eyes rose, then dropped. Her mouth twitched and her fists clenched. "I can't believe it," she said. "You told me things were bad, but not this bad!"

"Please," I told her. "Don't tell anyone."

"Thalia, your mother could have killed you! She's abusing you! You can't just keep living like this. You have to tell the guidance councilor, Chiron."

I shook my head. Chiron was the councilor who dealt with most of the most troubled kids at school. He was this dude in a wheelchair who used to teach Latin classes then decided he wanted to help kids. Only the most desperate kids went to ask for his help.

"I'm not going to show weakness." I said.

"But it will be for your own good!"

"No, I'm not going."

"Jeez, you're so stubborn!" Annabeth snapped and marched down the hallway.

I sighed and marched down the opposite way of the hall to my first class.

* * *

Science class. Finally, one more period to go.

"You will be working on your projects today. You may begin."

I sighed and went over to Nico's desk. We haven't talked all day. When we just happened to see each other in the hallway, we'd catch each other's eye, then continue walking passed each other as if we didn't know the other.

Nico looked passed me, staring off to the chalkboard. I looked out the window behind him.

After a few minutes, Nico spoke up. "Why don't we call it a draw for today?" He still wasn't looking at me.

"I don't care." I didn't look at him either.

He was quiet then asked, "What's with your face?"

He really was looking at me now. More intently than needed. I forced a blush down my throat. "Nothin'."

"I don't think it's nothing."

"Jeez, why won't anyone leave me alone?"

Just then, as if to prove my point, the overhead speaker came on.

"_Sorry for the interruption, but could Thalia Grace please come to the guidance councilors office? Thalia Grace_."

"Great," I sighed and left the class room.

* * *

"Sit down, Thalia." Chiron waved me to a picnic chair opposite of him. In between us was a white coffee table. I felt like we were outside in the summer. Two glasses of lemonade or apple juice were set on the table. The room was a sky blue, clear of clouds, and a green carpet of long grass, the smell of meadows and strawberry fields on a hot summer's day. The sun shone through the glass window, spirals of colours spilling into the room. My breath caught in my throat when I entered.

"So…" I started. My hand fidgeted with the zipper of my jacket. My toes rocked back and forth on the green carpet. Chiron was in his wheel chair, sipping from his glass, at perfect ease. I, on the other had, was not.

"Thalia, do you know the reason why I called you here?"

I could have said a million things like no, I don't, or I really wasn't going to fail science on purpose, or even Annabeth told on me, didn't she?

I said, "Sir, I'm missing quite a lot of time to be learning…"

Chiron chuckled. "Yes, and I'm sure you are relieved. The fact is, you really don't know why I asked you to come and why now, do you?"

I shook my head.

Chiron grew serious. His voice flattened from his usual mellow huffs. "Thalia Grace, daughter of a man known to be 'King of the Skies'. I think there is something we need to discuss about your family.

Shit, shit, shit, shit…

"When was the last time you saw your father?"

I fidgeted. Shit. Should I confess now or hold it in? There might be a 0.000009 percent chance he might not be talking about what I think he's talking about. "When I was seven, sir."

"How has your mother been treating you?"

"Uh… usual. Fine, sir."

"Is it the usual? Or is it a fine? Decide on one, Ms. Grace."

"Well, both I guess."

"So she usually treats your fine?"

"Y-yes sir."

Chiron turned to me, his hand putting the empty glass down. "Thalia Grace, I presume you still do not accept your father for what he's done, what ever that may be, correct?"

"H-how do you know that?" I stumbled.

He chuckled. "Oh, I've been here a while, usually the same stories. I took a guess." He made himself sound ancient and stuff, one of those grandfathers that had seen it all even though he looked too young to be over sixty.

"Oh," I said, not knowing what else to say.

"Thalia Grace, what would happen if your father came back?"

"My mother would beat him up again."

"I mean you." Oh. I actually hadn't thought about that.

"I don't know," I said truthfully. I knew my mother would chase him off, but I wasn't too sure about myself. I wouldn't have to be in the situation to meet him if my mother was in the picture, which she would surely be.

Confession time. "Sir, whatever Annabeth said, don't believe her. She had a little too much coffee this morning—"

"Annabeth? Annabeth Chase? Why, I haven't heard from her since last year. What about her?"

Smart move, Hedgehog. Now the old handicap will think you're nuts. "O-oh, her? Nothin'. I-uh… I forgot."

Chiron raised an eyebrow. "Well, then. The reason I asked you here, Ms. Grace, is because a special someone has come to pay you a visit."

My mind seemed to explode. No one I knew could have fit that category. Who would want to visit the most troubled girl in the universe?

"W-who's that?"

"Actually, two people if you really want to see the other. It would be better if I called them in."

The door opened and a blonde haired kid walked in. His electrifying blue eyes were the same as mine but everything else was different. He had sharp features unlike my rounded ones. His long blonde hair stuck out like static attracted to wool socks or balloons and his cocky smile lopped to one side. He was wearing a purple shirt and jeans, but young enough to be a second or third grader.

"Hey, sis." He said. I blinked.

"I'm sorry," I said. "Do I know you?"

He laughed. It sounded different than anyone's laugh I'd ever heard before. Like a mini-lion roar or a more pathetic attempt of one. "I'm Jason Grace! Son of the 'King of the Skies' and inherit to the title."

I stared. "J-Jason? But you… dad took…I…"

"Everything's fine, my girl." Then the thundering legend walked in himself. He looked different than my memory of him. His beard pointed, his hair hanging loosely on his shoulders and a pinned stripped suit. I didn't recognize this man. None of the two people in front of me looked familiar.

"What… who…" I felt my shoulders sag in defeat as I pressed my back against the back of the chair.

"My girl, Thalia, we've come back for you." My father smiled.

Father!

I got up. "I-I don't know you…" I wanted to leave, but there was only one door to this room. I was cornered.

"It's okay, sis. Dad wants you to come live with us!" Jason beamed. One of his milk teeth was missing on his top jaw.

"I…" I was loss for words. No matter how much I wanted to race out of that room, a small sensation at the bottom of my gut told me to stay. I would be lying if I said I didn't want to hear the rest of their story.

"Please, sit down." The suited man said. Not offered, not suggested or stated. Ordered.

I sat.

* * *

WELCOME.

Soo... I decided, finally, to start the plot even though not all the characters have been introduced. I figured that the intros were dragging a little too long, so, here we are! The first real plot setting chappie!

I'm sick... I have a bad headache, so sorry for the really late update (ish).

Not much else to write... my mind is pretty blank from the flu-ish fog in my thoughts.

I didn't like the scene between Thalia's mom and her relationship too much. Sure it had good detail and action, interaction, but the ending of it seems a little incomplete. Thalia is supposed to be a little sad and tired of this kind of daily routine, having to knock her mother out and pretend nothing happened and then hide her injuries. I don't think I was very successful with that. Anywho, next chapter, we will learn a bit more about her family (and Percy's... yes, Uncle P. is comin' ta town! Goodness I sound high...)

Apologies for the lack of humor. I hope to get some more in soon!

Reviews would be liked, flames welcome, constructive criticism adored.

-NW :3


	6. NEWSFLASH: BLOODBROTHER

**Deck the halls with strings of words, Fa-la-la-la-lah lalala. T'is the season to be absurd, fa-la-la-la-lah lalala~ **

**I do not get money for this, fa-la-la-la-la-lah lalala. If I did, you all would be very pissed, fah-la-la-la-lah lalala!~**

_Love the snow, love the songs, hate the cold, hate the commitments, but hey! That's Holiday Season for you. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, whatever you celebrate. Happy Groundhog Day!_

* * *

NEWSFLASH: BLOOD-BROTHER

* * *

**I** was quiet for a very long while.

Mr. Chiron's office gave little comfort now. Could you blame me? My father was standing in front of me. For all I knew, he could snatch _me_ up and try to run away with _me_ this time around.

Jason passed the time by looking at various pictures and photos on the walls of the office. Most of which were photos of smiling children, sad children, angry and confused kids. There were some graduation certificates on the counter behind his desk, strange names like Herald Herc. Ules back from the 30's and Paris Peruses Gorg. Onkiller.

I wasn't really listening. Just sitting on the picnic chair, nodding, blinking, breathing. You know, just giving acknowledgment that I was still alive.

"Your situation is quite special. There are only a handful of children that have been, are, or will be in your situation." Chiron continued to explain. "Children like you… they are called the 'Special and Big Material'. You cause more problems and a greater ordeal to gather and can be dangerous."

I couldn't help but question, "How's that?"

"For example, you could be kidnapped to be used as ransom against your father, the school could receive complaints, or you could be turned over."

"Turned over to what?"

Chiron looked nervous. He seemed to have a silent, telepathic conversation with my father. In exchanging emotional expressions, they came to an agreement and Chiron said, "W-well, Thalia, the, uh, other companies. Your father isn't the only one in the skies, now. They could hold you ransom, but they could also use you against your father."

I decided not to push the matter any longer, even if he seemed to know the truth.

"So," I said, crossing my arms. "What's going to happen to me?"

"Daddy wants to bring you home!" Jason cried out as if he had said _Daddy, I want this puppy! Can't we keep her?_

Father sighed and said, "Jason is very excited. He needs companionship in his home-schooling sessions. Don't you, my boy?"

Jason nodded sadly. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay," I said. "That's nice, But the fact is, Mom's my guardian, she ripped your name right off the pages, you took my brother, mom's going to kill someone when she finds out you're here, and I'm already happy with my life. I thought you didn't 'need' girls to run the tradition."

My father smiled. "Why, of course I do! You don't know how important you are to me."

"Well, what you said years before would beg to differ."

Chiron interrupted. "There's a very logical reasoning for this. Your father has been having some… problems in the company. Minor workers with large jobs have been found delivering documents to other companies. Your family is losing people on their side, most of which are… are your friends' parents, here at HB High. We offer special systems to children who are mistakes, unwanted but belong to dangerous organizations that could cause problems in the real world. We look after them and make sure they don't get into too much trouble. Your father needs you now, because you can help him. You know this school and the children who come here. You can help restore the balance in the agency!"

I stared dumbfound at all of them. "B-but I don't get it. First, Chiron knows a lot of kids too! Can't he do it? Second, why is Chiron even taking sides? I thought this was a place to keep kids safe. And last of all, why in all of Hades would I ever do that to my friends and classmates?"

"Chiron knows only the kids who stand out the most," my father said. "But the most dangerous, they tend to stay in secret. They camouflage in the crowds, like you. Chiron didn't know how you looked like until today. You are one of the most dangerous students in this building. We need you to mingle in the crowds to tell us what is happening at that end."

"I thought these kids were unwanted." I exclaimed. "They might not know anything at all."

Father smiled. "You see, that's what they all want you to think. But, the most secret things in this world are the ones that are hidden among commoners and the unexpected. Sending information to store in secret safes is the oldest trick in the book. To prove it, I came back for you too, so there must have been others, just not through Chiron of course."

"As for taking sides," Chiron said. "Well, let's say I'm a relative. If the agency falls, so will I. Our lives are at stake here. Not only will the money stop coming in, but our surname would be tinted for the rest of our lives. There is no time to think about personal problems!"

I felt my hands clench into fists. How could they force me to do something I didn't want to do? I had nothing to do with my father, he had made that very clear when he left my mother and I. Now he was only claiming me back for his own personal benefit. So, who was thinking about personal problems here? "No."

"Thalia, I came back hoping you could help repair the damage. We need you, I need you."

"I'm not helping you." I yelled. "If you really needed my help, you would have come back years ago. If you really needed me, you would never have left, never have let mom go crazy, never have stolen Jason, never have…" I swallowed hard. I wasn't about to cry. Thalia Grace never cries. Even in the worst of times, she stood strong and pushed down her enemies.

Father patted my head as I tried to recollect myself.

"Don't worry, it will never happen again." He said gently.

But I was never alone.

There was my mother to begin with, the Hunters, Artemis, Percy, Bianca, Annabeth…

Now I was on my own.

"Daddy will take good care of you," Jason hugged me from the side.

They were the threat. A loud fire truck alarm should have been warning me in my head, like it used to do, but now it was silent.

Mother still needed someone to look after her, I didn't want her to go to a medical center or jail or anything. It wasn't her fault.

Percy could probably do without me, but I sure would miss helping him escape from crazed cheerleaders. His smile, his stupid jokes to lighten the mood when I ran away from my apartment and found comfort with his mother instead. I sure would miss that over-grown goofball.

The Hunters, they would honor my choices, but I guess I would never be out of the Hunt, only too far to help anymore. Artemis would need a new lieutenant. I hope they would stop being aggressive at the beginning of a new year.

Bianca, she would probably still tutor sciences, still want to be a doctor. Her strange sense of humor and motherly tactics would be annoying, but I hoped someone would appreciate them as much as I did.

Annabeth, my best friend, I would really miss her. She had always been there for me, we would get in trouble sometimes because of my mistakes, but we always had a good laugh in the end. She was smart, clever and pretty, much better than Silena. I wished her luck with Percy.

Nico… as much as he got on my nerves, he started to grow on me. I didn't completely understand him, nor Bianca and his past, but I would miss him.

"Fine," my shoes thumped on the floor. "What do you want me to do?"

Father smiled.

"I always win, Thalia. I always win." He started to pace around my chair. "I thought you might need special training, but I guess you won't considering the way you handled the situation here. You may stay, but, I need you to listen around. Think of it like… Mission Impossible. Do you understand?"

"What exactly am I listening for?" I asked.

"Titan," he said. "Chron Os. Roman airlines. Any of those words. Of course they would never say those words out loud. That would be suicide, considering most of you children are from Olympia Agency. You might here a few alternate words, backwards, nicknames, shorts. You have to keep your ears open and wide. Here," he gave me a watch. It had a symbol of a head with snakes as hair and glowing, eerie eyes. "The Aegis will help pass along the information."

"So, what," I said. 'I'm going all 'spy' and everything?"

"Not exactly," he said. "This watch is a recorder, built on a different stream of 'internet' so it can pass along information quietly, quickly and privately."

I couldn't help wondering how much time and money my father spent on this.

"It was built by one of the co-workers. He has a clever way with things and hardly spent our resources," Father said as if reading my mind. "Brilliant man, though my wife thinks he is ugly and strange." He laughed.

I glared at the floor. "Wife?"

Even Chiron seemed uneasy with this word. "Thalia, your mother and father were never truly married. They were simply… lovers. You father has a real wife, a legal one, and that is why he couldn't stay with most of his children."

"Then why does he want me if he can have 'legal' children with his 'by-law' wife?" I yelled.

"Because you and your brother are my only connection to the outside world." My father suddenly thundered. He banged his fist on the coffee table and stood upright again. "It's a world of paparazzi for me, Thalia. I can't understand what else is happening out there. If I try to, I could be spotted, found out, mugged, framed. Everyone wants to ruin us. You can't trust anyone these days!"

I wanted to oppose his claim, but I knew he was right. I couldn't trust anyone with my darkest secrets either. Not even Annabeth or Percy.

I tinkered with the watch. I found an opening latch and flipped it. Inside was at least ten buttons, all coated with symbols I might have understood if I was Greek. But somehow, I could understand what most of the buttons said. Like a distant memory of a language I used to know. "That's weird…" I said.

"When you were a child," Father leaned over my shoulder. "I taught you Greek. How to speak it, write it, read it. You were a quick learner and were fluent in it by age four. It is our code messaging in the company, especially old Greek."

I fingered a button lightly. It had a 'Z' then a strange little '3', a 'U' with an accent over the top and a 'C' following after with a comma underneath it. I wasn't too sure it had a meaning, but I vaguely remember my father making a joke about it.

_I am Zeus, king of the skies and all airlines!_

"Old Greek, huh?" I said.

* * *

It was nearly three, only half an hour left of school, when we finished talking. Well, mostly my father was talking and I listening.

"And as for a little help, Jason," My father looked down at the blonde boy, swinging his legs as he sat on the picnic chair beside me. Jason stopped and looked up, his face full of concern. "I have a special job for you, Jason."

"Yes, Daddy?" Jason twitched his fingers as they flicked against the straw holding the chair together.

"I need you to stay here with your sister, do you understand?"

Jason glanced at me like I was some sort of bomb or dog with rabies. "But, Daddy, I thought big sis was comin' with us—"

"There has been a change of plans."

"Daddy…" 'Daddy' gave Jason a stern stare and he fell silent.

I had to feel a little sorry for the guy. He hardly knew me, I only had seen him a handful of glimpses in my life and he was only a baby.

"This is a special job, Jason." Father put a hand on his shoulder. "_Family_ are the only people I can trust now, can I? Can I trust you, my boy?"

Jason immediately perked. "Oh, yes sir! I will not fail you, sir."

He patted his head. "Good, I'll want to hear from you in about a week. Run into any trouble and report to Chiron." Father began to put on his coat and hat when I stopped him.

"Are you serious?" I hissed. That may not have been a good thing to say to a father I hardly knew, but I was a few seconds away from tearing his head off his body. "You're going to leave the little fuzz ball in the real world?"

Jason was flipping through some magazines on the coffee table.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Father swung his scarf around. "He's a smart lad."

"Ew, yuck!" Jason slapped the magazine on the floor and looked at it in disgust. "People with no clothing!"

I turned to my father. "You think he'll live?"

"He will," Father looked only slightly doubtful now. "Besides, he has you to rely on."

"Joy," I said.

* * *

"So, where are we going?" Jason walked beside me.

"Somewhere over the rainbow," I said.

"Will I get to meet mom?"

"Let's hope not." Jason scrunched his eyebrows.

"Why not? Something wrong with her?"

I almost laughed. "You don't want to know the rest of it, trust me."

We walk passed the bus stop and I pointed to the small tunnel up ahead.

"We should take the subway today." I pulled a list from my pocket. "Need food for the fridge."

"We need to do that?" Jason looked even more confused. "Grown ups do the food shopping though. Doesn't mom go grocery shopping?"

"Look kid," I said sharply. "In this world, I'm the grown up and mom's the kid. I have to look after her or else no one will. You must have it easy, living in the company with servants and all."

Jason looked fearfully at the list as if it was his funeral papers.

"I'm sorry," I said at last. "Sorry, I'm really sorry. I'm having a bad day. I usually yell to get it out."

"It's okay," he said quietly, ringing his hands together. We stood in the middle of the side walk as the sun set. The streetlight above flickered on. "Daddy yells a lot when he's having a bad day too."

I looked at the boy beside me. He appeared to look cheerful before, but now, now he looked nothing like the boy from before.

Jason grinded his foot in the gravel of the cracks in the sidewalk. His head was low, so I couldn't see his face well in the shadows. His electric blonde hair seemed to wilt a bit and his hands found his pockets in his jacket. I bent down so we were eyelevel.

"I'm sorry," I said again. "I don't want to be like Daddy. I'm different. I'll try not to be angry, and if I do, you tell me. 'Kay?"

Jason was afraid of me. I knew it. And to tell the truth, I was a little afraid of him too. We were siblings, but we were nothing alike and we knew nothing about each other. We could have passed as total strangers. We were both alone.

I knew that feeling. I became accustomed to it and embrace it. But loneliness wasn't a feeling to embrace because it never became any warmer. For Jason, he might have known that feeling too. He was about the same age I started to feel it.

At that moment, I knew I had to give Jason the things I never had. Because I was the grown up and older sisters look out for little brothers.

And big sisters are looked after their mothers.

So where was mine?

"Can I have a hug?"

I stared uneasily at the little blonde boy. "A… hug?"

His hands fidgeted nervously as if any sudden movements might cause me to explode.

"Well, I don't think Mommy would hug me, if what you said was true. Daddy doesn't usually hug me, or Harriett, not even the maids when they put me to sleep."

I smiled. "Sure," I said.

I hadn't had a hug for as long as I could remember. It was soft and warm and full of reassurance. When we broke apart, Jason smiled and I felt a little bit more hopeful. Maybe I was crazy, or I hit my head on something, but I felt I could trust this kid. This little kid who wanted me to comfort him and give him the love his mother would never give. So when he tugged at my hand, I let him hold it.

* * *

"That was fun… ish." We sped through the dark tunnel and the train creaked and rumbled.

"Yep," I said. The bag of groceries sat on my lap. Jason was on his knees on the seat beside me, facing the window and waiting for us to emerge into the outside world once more.

"Where are we going now?"

I thought it over. "Would you like to meet your cousin?"

"My cousin?" Jason clapped his hands. "I have a cousin?"

"Yes, you do." We pulled at the station and I ushered my brother out of the subway before the doors closed.

We climbed out of the station and onto the busy streets of Manhattan. This part of the city was always bustling with people no matter what time of day. Though I hated crowds, the daytime people were more… preferable.

"Hey," a man with ratty clothes and a sickening smell of alcohol grabbed my shoulder.

I shoved him away and urgently looked for Jason in the crowd. "Jason!" I cupped my hands. "Ja-son!"

The man's hand was back on my shoulder.

"Get off'a me! Get. Off!"

The man stopped me and pulled something from the shadows. A shaken form grabbed me from the waist and whimpered.

"Jason! What happened to you?" I bent to look at him better. His eyes were wide and his jaw trembled.

"Nothing much, almost trampled over by the mob going for Christmas shopping at Sears," the man grunted. I stood up and put an arm around Jason.

"Who are you?" I asked cautiously.

"Peace," the guy put his hands in surrender. "I am Sueth Emorp, but you may call me Seth. I am… a friend of your father's. We go very far back and I truly want nothing to happen to his children. You can easily get lost in a city this big."

"So Father sent you to look after us?" I huffed.

"No, of course not! I simply found you by coincidence. Your father trusts you very well."

"Okay, then, we'll be on our way." I was about to drag Jason along when Seth caught me again.

"Here," he said and handed me a large, rectangle-shaped box. "This is a present for you and your brother."

I stared at the beautifully wrapped present.

"Um, how could you afford something…" I realized how rude that would sound.

"Oh, this get-up?" He pulled at his ugly shirt. "It's a costume I use so no one will notice me. Can't have people starting to crowd around me, can we?"

"Uh, no sir." I said. I looked at my watch. "Sorry, I think we need to…" when I looked up, Seth was gone. I shrugged and continued my way to Percy's, making sure I had a good grip on Jason's hand.

* * *

I knocked on the old, wooden door and jumped again. Jason's head replaced itself on the crook of my collar bone and I re-adjusted his weight on my back. He snorted and continued to sleep.

I sighed miserably. Who knew how much one kid could weigh?  
"Who is it?" A man opened the door. I only had to look at the man's shoes to know who it was.

"Shit," I seethed. I forced myself to look up as the light from the hallway inside spilled into the dark corridors outside. "Hello, Mister! I'm Thalia Grace and I was wondering if Percy and Aunt Sally—"

"Get out of here, punk." He was about to slam the door when Aunt Sally poked out of the corner of the doorway.

"Come in, Thalia!" I squeezed in-between Mr. Ugly where the doorway wasn't covered by his jolly belly. Jason coughed, turned his head and went back to sleep. I sighed wearily and dumped him on the couch carefully. I could hear Mr. Ugly and Aunt Sally talking loudly until someone opened the door and slammed it.

Aunt Sally trotted into the kitchen and got a drink.

"Uh," I looked over my shoulder at Percy. "Who's that?"

"This," I said, "Is going to be hard to explain."

"Well, please do try," Aunt Sally held out a cup of hot chocolate for me. I took the cup and sat on the couch with Aunt Sally. Percy stood since there was no room.

"That's my brother," I said.

"Jason Grace?" Percy looked at the boy in disbelief. "The baby your dad stole? Whoa, that's… that's weird. How?"

I wondered how I would tell them. If it was safe or not. Both our father's worked in the same agency, so it should have been fine.

"Dad left him here." I told them my story, about skipping science class. How my father came to reclaim me as his daughter just so I could help him restore the agency at the top of the list.

"Poor child," Aunt Sally patted his mop of golden locks. "He must be scared out of his wits. For all we know, he was used to being listened to, living like a prince, and now he's stuck in a scary place."

"A scary place called reality," I muttered.

"So, what's going to happen?" Percy asked.

"I can't bring him home, that's for sure," I stirred the spoon. It made a clattering sound of glass and metal. "Mom will go crazy. Or, she might want to kill him. I'm not sure what her emotional response will be, and I don't want to know about Jason's. I don't want him to find out what Mom's like. He'll be even more scared than he already is."

Percy drank some of his hot chocolate before asking, "We could keep him here, if you want. It might be a little better than your house. But this place should come with a warning sign, like; 'Caution: Angry Fatso on the Loose. You have been warned, we are not responsible for injuries, destroyed innocence, stolen items, gross images and the reaping of blue food.' Or something."

"Percy," Aunt Sally bit her lip. "Please don't make it any worse."

"But he's a living garbage truck!" Percy spat. "No one needs to waste their expenses and energy on him!"

"He is my boss, and I have to respect him," she insisted.

"He's a bastard," I agreed.

"What's a v-vast… vase-tart?" Jason rubbed his eyes and yawned. I slapped my hand over my mouth.

"Nothing," I laughed. "Go back to sleep. _Now_."

He looked at me with a cocky grin then looked at Aunt Sally, Percy, the floor and the entire room.

"W-where are we, sissy?"

"S-sissy?" Percy strangled a laugh.

"Just call me sis or Thalia, okay?" I said with embarrassment written all over my face.

"O-okay. Where are we?" He blinked and stood, fully awake.

"This is your cousin, Percy and his mom, Aunt Sally." I motioned to them.

"'Morning, dear." Aunt Sally walked over to him and gave him a cup of hot chocolate while taking Percy's and my empty ones to the sink.

"Nice to meet you," Percy extended his hand to Jason. Jason took it and they shook… very business-like.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay, so you guys met. Can I leave now?"

"Where are you going, Thalia?" Jason said with alarmed eyes.

"I'm going home," I told him. "You have to stay here."

"Why?"

"Because I said so, that's why."

"But I want to go home too."

"Listen, buddy boy. The only home you'll ever have is with Dad, right? Besides, my home is more like the Fields of Punishment than a house full of cookies."

"I want to stay with you!" He said.

Aunt Sally interrupted, "Thalia, why don't you stay tonight? I'm sure it would be nice to stay with Jason for a while and your mother can take care of herself."

"But I—"

"We won't mind a bit. For a few nights, Thalia, please?"

Percy had already pushed two sleeping bags into the living room. I sighed.

"Okay."

* * *

New York City never sleeps.

No really, it never does. Not even at one in the morning.

I sighed and rolled over. I pressed the pillow into my ears but I could still hear the loud honking and busy yelling on ground zero.

"I wish they'd just shut up already…" I grumbled.

"Shut up isn't a nice word," I looked at the huddled form in the sleeping bag beside me. Jason unrolled out of his cocoon and looked at me with glowing, fierce blue eyes. "Is there something wrong with Mommy?"

"No," I smiled. "Of course not."

"Then why can't I go home with you?"

I hesitated. The room was dark and a shadow of the bare tree branches snaked up our sleeping bags. I closed my eyes. "Things with Mommy are… complicated."

"How?"

I didn't say anything. How could I explain to this little boy that everything wasn't all rainbows and ponies? He was only about eight or seven. I didn't want him to be like me. A lost little girl who didn't know how to do anything but cry.

"Is Mommy… scary like Daddy when he yells?"

I looked at him. He wasn't staring at me anymore. His eyes were glued to the ceiling. "Is she… mean? Does she hurt you too? Is that why you don't want me to see her? Would she hurt me?"

"How…" I started. "How did you know…"

"It's okay," he said calmly. "I understand. You're very nice. I like you Thalia. You get mad at me because I can hurt myself and you worry about me because you're scared I will become bad. You're not like Daddy. Daddy only loves me because I'm smart and I do whatever he says. Daddy wants me to be like him when I grow up, but I don't want to be like him. He's scary and he lies.

"Maybe that's why Mommy is scary too. Because Daddy made her scary. All people are good until something corrupts them. I read that in a book once. I wonder…" he said. "I wonder how Mommy used to be. Before she met Daddy."

I was on one elbow, staring into the darkness where my brother's silhouette was. I wondered to myself, was it me, or did my brother just say some really scary things?

"Wow…" I said. "You sounded too mature for a little kid there."

"Daddy taught me to think big, I guess." He shrugged in the blankets.

I huffed and lied down again.

"Jason," I mumbled. "How much do you remember about me and Mommy?"

"Not much," he said. "Daddy said I didn't have a Mommy. I didn't have any pictures of you or Mommy either. Then, a few days before, he told me he needed me to come with him to see you. He said I had a sister and she needed my help. I thought it would be nice if I had someone to play with and argue with and laugh with and talk with. Daddy doesn't talk to me unless it has to do with money or business."

I chuckled. "Okay, we're talking right now so you can check that one off your list."

"How much do you remember about me?"

I blocked out the few sad memories that attached to the day he was born. I said, "You were… squishy-looking."

"Was not!" He whined. I smiled.

"Yep, and you were bald!"

"Liar!"

"No joke," I put my hands up in surrender, even if he couldn't have seen my gesture. "You don't have photos to prove it anyways. You didn't open your eyes for a while, but when you did, you had pretty blue eyes."

"Like yours?"

"Exactly like mine." I agreed. "And… you cried a lot. Like a thunderstorm. You were so loud I couldn't sleep for a few hours."

"A thunderstorm?"

"Yes, a thunderstorm! The worst of it was when you wailed. You made this choking sound and a shrieking like a dying bird. Scared the living daylights out of me."

He pouted and I laughed.

"I don't sound like that anymore, do I?"

"No, you sound like a chattering monkey that won't be quiet."

He went silent.

"Hey, Thalia?"

"Huh?"

"Could you take me to see Mommy tomorrow?"

"No."

'Why not?"

"Didn't we just go over this?"

"She can't be _that_ scary!"

"Well, guess again, Einstein."

"Com'on! Please?"

"No way, José."

"Why?"

"Because I have school."

"But what about after school?"

"NO."

"But—"

"Nope.

"But—"

"Nah-uh."

"I—"

'Nada, amigo."

"Can't—"

"Zlinch."

"Mommy—"

"Zip it or I'll make you. Go to bed." I pulled the covers over my head.

It was silent for another good thirty second when Jason tugged at my sleeping bag.

"Can't you leave me alone, you little nocturnal beast? I have to go to school tomorrow morn—"

I was cut off by a tight hug around my waist. I sighed and hugged him back.

"Good night, sis."

"'Night Jason."

He crawled back into bed and I folded the covers over my shoulders once more.

I guess I could get used to the hugs…

* * *

WELCOME.

So, this chapter was to give a more 'base' to the whole plot and show the relationship between Thalia and Jason.

Yeah, I know, Jason is weird. I wish I could have him like in the 'Lost Hero', but, hey, time to face facts; What type of seven year old talks like the Jason from the Heroes of Olympus? He'd have to be at least mature enough (like fifteen, which is, btw, Thalia's age, and I will NOT make any twins excluding the Stoll brothers) to talk and act like so. Thus, Jason is a little... strange. Kid-ish and annoying like most kids. I liked how both Thalia's character and Jason's contrast, her 'Oh, shit' and 'would you just shut the fuck up?' attitude clashes against Jason's 'I wan'na see Mommy!' and 'Let's be friends' attitude. They compliment each other, in a way, because it makes Jason cling-y and appreciate his sister's efforts and Thalia a little more bend-y with her strang attitudes. They're both stubborn, that's for sure, just in different ways. Jason listens to Daddy no matter what, and Thalia just does it because she doesn't want the people around her to get hurt or see her any different.

If Jason's getting on your nerves... I'm going to admit he got on mine too. Cute kid... needs some tweeking in his brain though. I'll try to mature him as the series grows.

I apologize for the late update, I know it's already Tuesday, but I was on Christmas vacation. I arrived on Sunday, wrote up the chapter on Monday, had some hard-core editing this morning... and yeah. So, here it is! I made it extra long (sorta) and added new characters in (don't ask about the 30's thing, I just wanted it to be long ago, but not too far back). I also apologize for the lack of Thalico, yeah, I'm disappointed too. But the plot points need to be taken care of and explained before I continue with their... 'relationship'.

I'm going to get killed one day for saying that.

Btw, Harriet was as close as I could get to 'Hera' and Sueth Emorp is Prometheus backwards. Sorry, I had lack of inspiration that day. Blame the brain. Herald Herc. Ules = Hercules (with extra) and Paris Peruses Gorg. Onkiller = Perseus Gorgon Killer (with extra).

Reviews would be liked, flames welcome, constructive criticism adored.

-NW :3


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